Arica weather in May

In May, Arica sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 24 mm of rain across 8.9 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Arica's 8th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Arica's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
7th warmest
Overnight low
16°
6th coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
8.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
8:03 AM – 7:11 PM
Cloud cover
73%
8th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Arica is city of Chile.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 11.6 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
5,554/km²
people per km²
Founded
1541

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.

A typical May day in Arica reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12317
22317
32316
42316
52316
62216
72216
82216
92216
102216
112216
122216
132216
142216
152216
162216
172216
182216
192115
202115
212115
222115
232115
242115
252115
262115
272115
282115
292115
302115
312115

Arica weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 20°102.3137.4
Feb26° / 20°7212.67.4
Mar26° / 19°40.712.17.8
Apr24° / 18°71.711.68.0
May22° / 16°248.911.16.5
Jun20° / 14°3012.710.95.6
Jul19° / 13°2910.6115.7
Aug19° / 14°206.811.46.2
Sep20° / 14°154.411.96.7
Oct21° / 15°9212.47.3
Nov23° / 16°40.312.98.1
Dec25° / 18°50.813.18.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 88%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23070
32872
42674
52575
62377
72179
81981
91783
101684
111486
121288
131189
141090
15991
16892
17793
18694
19595
20595
21496
22496
23397
24397
25397
26397
27397
28397
29397
30397
31397

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Arica gets around 24 mm of rain over 8.9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 28% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
112
213
314
415
516
618
719
821
922
1023
1125
1226
1328
1429
1530
1631
1732
1833
1934
2034
2135
2235
2336
2436
2537
2637
2738
2838
2938
3038
3138

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 65% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
137324
237423
347422
457421
567420
677419
787418
897417
9107416
10127216
11137215
12157114
13167113
14187012
15206911
16226810
1724679
1826668
1929647
2031627
2133616
2235605
2337585
2439565
2540564
2642544
2744533
2845523
2947503
3048502
3149492

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 7:58 AM to 8:09 AM, and sunset from 7:19 PM to 7:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.37:587:19
211.37:597:18
311.37:597:17
411.37:597:17
511.38:007:16
611.38:007:16
711.38:007:15
811.28:017:15
911.28:017:14
1011.28:017:14
1111.28:027:13
1211.28:027:13
1311.28:027:13
1411.28:037:12
1511.18:037:12
1611.18:037:11
1711.18:047:11
1811.18:047:11
1911.18:057:10
2011.18:057:10
2111.18:057:10
2211.18:067:10
2311.18:067:09
2411.08:067:09
2511.08:077:09
2611.08:077:09
2711.08:087:09
2811.08:087:08
2911.08:087:08
3011.08:097:08
3111.08:097:08

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.24 kWh/m² to a high of 7.76 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 4.94 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.6Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Arica?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Arica for sightseeing.

What to pack for Arica in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Arica sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Arica in May

The nearest coast averages about 20°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) is warmest in February at about 23°C and coldest in August near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 28 to Apr 30 — about 5.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°24°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar22Refreshing
Apr20Refreshing
May20Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul17Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct18Cool
Nov20Cool
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Arica in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Arica peaks around February 9 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 11 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 9UV 15Jul 11UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Arica?

Arica sits at 18.5°S, 70.3°W, 80 m above sea level, in Chile. The nearest listed city is Tacna, 51 km away.

Topography around Arica

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Arica.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Arica has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 290 m around an average of 49 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 863 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,342 m.

The land around Arica is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and bare terrain (26%) within 3 km, bare terrain (56%) and water (37%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (69%) and water (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
290 m
16 km
863 m
80 km
4,342 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Tacna 51 km · Ilo 145 km · San Antonio 155 km · Moquegua 157 km · Iquique 194 km · Alto Hospicio 200 km · Pozo Almonte 205 km · Mollendo 243 km

Chile travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / L
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 48% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$17,995
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 517
Religion
Catholic 57%none 26%Evangelical or Protestant 16%other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Arica (-18.4755°, -70.3006°, elevation 80 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).